The Harris Sparrow 



with white. Length about 190 (7.49); wing 89 (3.51); tail 84 (3. 31); bill 13 (.52); 

 tarsus 24.4 (.96). Females somewhat smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Large Sparrow size; black of face and throat distinctive; 

 light bill: bush-haunting habits. Will probably be found, if at all, associating with 

 the other Zonotrichias. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in California. Nest (as described by Raine) : On 

 ground at foot of tree; composed of grass and fine bark; lined with dry grass. Eggs: 

 "Creamy white, spotted chiefly at the larger end with rusty brown and lilac" (Raine). 

 Av. 22.4 x 16.8 (.88 x .66). It is noteworthy that the account referred to above, found 

 in Cat. Canadian Birds, by John and James M. Macoun (Ottawa, 1909, p. 510), is the 

 only one we yet possess of the nesting of this mysterious bird. 



General Range. — West central North America (the plains region north to 

 Mackenzie), breeding from Saskatchewan north probably to the limit of trees, in mi- 

 gration west to central Montana, east to eastern Illinois; winters from northern Kansas 

 and western Missouri south to southern Texas; casual in the Pacific Coast states and 

 in Ohio. 



Occurrence in California. — Three records: Hay ward, Oct. 27, 1900 (Emer- 

 son); San Clemente Island, Oct. 15, 1917 (Linton); Berkeley, bird seen repeatedly 

 between Dec. 25, 1912, and Feb. 11, 1913 (A. S. Allen). 



Authorities. — Emerson, Condor, vol. ii., 1900, p. 145 (at Hayward) ; Linton, 

 Condor, vol. x., 1908, p. 84 (San Clemente Id.); Allen, A. S,, Condor, vol. xvii., 1915, 

 p. 116 (at Berkeley). 



IT IS ground for chuckling satisfaction on the part of Californian 

 bird-lovers that all the species and subspecies of Zonotrichia, six in num- 

 ber, should have registered in the Golden State. It is pure graciousness 

 on the part of querula, for its summer home lies in British Columbia, east 

 of the Rocky Mountain system; and to reach us it must surmount heights 

 which are no part of its wonted scheme of things. Those few which do 

 appear so far south and west — there are only three instances of record — 

 have doubtless become involved in the moving hordes of gambeli which 

 annually sweep south regardless of obstacles. 



Of the Harris Sparrow on its native heath comparatively little is 

 yet known. It frequents the "land of little sticks," right to the edge of 

 the Barrens, and its nests are said to be placed on the ground at the base 

 of some small tree, — willow or birch. 



An observer at one of queralas way stations, in Manitoba, notes 

 that its spring song consists chiefly of three whistled repetitions of the 

 same note. "The performance was disappointingly short, but the general 

 impression gathered was, that whoever happens to hear the full song of 

 the Hooded Sparrow will know one of the sweetest of bird melodies. 

 During their spring visit the Blackhoods often uttered three clear whist- 

 ling notes, and on one occasion a soft blue-bird-like warble was added 

 to this."i 



1 "The Birds of Manitoba." by Ernest E. Thompson; Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus., Vol. XIII. (1891). p. 598. 



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